Live updates: White House optimistic about Iran deal as key Pakistani negotiator visits Tehran

Iran nuclear deal: White House sees breakthrough as Pakistan envoy meets Tehran officials

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

The White House expressed optimism Tuesday about reviving the Iran nuclear deal as Pakistan’s top negotiator landed in Tehran for urgent talks with Iranian leaders.

White House national security adviser Matthew Pottinger told reporters the administration sees “real momentum” toward a new agreement after months of stalled negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

The Pakistani diplomatic push comes amid growing concerns that Iran’s uranium enrichment program has accelerated beyond limits set by the 2015 nuclear accord. Iran has enriched uranium to 60 percent purity, close to weapons-grade levels, according to International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors who visited Tehran last week.

Pakistan’s special envoy on Iran, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, arrived in Tehran carrying what Pakistani officials described as “concrete proposals” to break the deadlock. Ahmad’s visit marks the first high-level diplomatic contact between a major Muslim nation and Iran since President Donald Trump reimposed sweeping sanctions on Tehran in January 2025.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi greeted Ahmad at Mehrabad Airport but made no public statements. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported the two men would discuss “regional security matters and the nuclear dossier” during two days of meetings.

The Trump administration has demanded Iran dismantle most of its centrifuge program and ship enriched uranium abroad in exchange for sanctions relief. Iranian officials have publicly rejected these conditions but signaled willingness to negotiate privately, two senior US officials told reporters aboard Air Force One.

A breakthrough would deliver Trump a major foreign policy victory as he faces mounting domestic pressure over his handling of NATO relations and trade disputes with China. The president cancelled a planned meeting with German steel executives to monitor the Iran talks, White House aides confirmed.

European diplomats have largely been sidelined from recent negotiations, though France maintains backchannel communications with both Washington and Tehran. French President Emmanuel Macron spoke with Trump by phone Monday but received no firm commitment to include European powers in any new agreement, according to an Élysée Palace statement.

Israeli officials expressed alarm about potential concessions to Iran, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning that any deal allowing Iran to maintain enrichment capacity would endanger regional security. “We will not accept a bad deal that leaves Iran with nuclear capabilities,” Netanyahu said in Jerusalem.

The timing of Ahmad’s visit appears connected to Iran’s upcoming presidential elections scheduled for June, where hardline candidates have criticized President Masoud Pezeshkian for failing to secure sanctions relief. Pezeshkian, who has advocated negotiations with Washington, faces challengers backed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps who oppose concessions to Western powers.

Oil markets reacted cautiously to news of the diplomatic push, with Brent crude prices dipping 1.2 percent before recovering to $73.40 per barrel. Energy analysts say removing Iranian oil from sanctions could add 1 million barrels daily to global supply within six months, potentially lowering gasoline prices ahead of the US midterm elections.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have privately indicated they would match any Iranian oil production increases to maintain market share, sources familiar with OPEC discussions told GlobalBeat. The kingdom has expanded production capacity at facilities damaged during 2023 Houthi drone attacks, though Riyadh has not publicly committed to boosting output.

Background

The Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, was signed in 2015 by Iran and six world powers including the United States. The agreement limited Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief but collapsed when Trump withdrew US participation during his first term in 2018.

Since the deal’s collapse, Iran has gradually increased uranium enrichment while international inspectors report diminishing visibility into the country’s nuclear activities. The United States has reimposed sanctions that have cut Iranian oil exports from 2.5 million barrels daily to under 500,000, crippling the Iranian economy.

Pakistan has historically maintained close ties with Iran despite US pressure, sharing a 900-kilometer border and facing common security challenges from militant groups operating in both countries. The relationship has become increasingly important as China expands infrastructure projects linking Iran to Pakistan’s Gwadar port through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

What’s Next

Ahmad is scheduled to meet with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s foreign policy adviser Ali Akbar Velayati on Wednesday before departing Tehran. Any agreement would likely face review by Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, where hardline elements hold significant influence over nuclear policy decisions.